Hi @keanna, thanks for posting.
We get versions of this question pretty frequently, and there are a few key reasons. One is that we try to make our practice exams similar to the real one, whereas other vendors tend to make theirs a little more difficult. It’s also very common to see scores drop a bit when using a different course; we hear this often in the opposite direction too. Additionally, FINRA exam difficulty is randomized, so it’s luck of the draw if you get an easier or harder one, but in all cases, the scores are scaled and normalized.
Here are a few related threads you can check out:
- Achievable Question Difficulty vs. Actual SIE Exam - #2 by Justin
- Practice exam score recommendation? - #3 by Qaisghulam781
- Just Passed SIE on 1st attempt! Some helpful insights - #2 by brandonrith
- Passed on 1st try but there were some issues
My advice is to take another practice exam or two each day, and then carefully review all missed or guessed questions so you can ensure you get those right on the real exam. And then make sure to get a good night’s rest before the exam so you can go in with a clear and focused mind.
It sounds like you’re in a good position to pass if you keep at it; let us know how it goes!
Hope this helps!